RACING: Most of the state’s leading trainers in addition to their counterparts based in Bunbury are set to converge on Bunbury race course tomorrow and they may well dominate the nine event program.
Top trainer Adam Durrant, who usually brings horses to the local meetings is a notable absentee as he is in Melbourne to oversee stable horses including Perth Cup winner Real Love mount an assault on some of the rich autumn carnival races there.
Prominent Albany trainer Steve Wolfe has also nominated some top contenders for what promises to be an outstanding provincial race meeting.
Thursday’s meeting will benefit a National Jockeys Trust fundraiser with races sponsored in support of the organization and patrons are invited to support a major auction and sausage sizzle on course after the last race.
The first race will commence at 1.10pm with the last scheduled for 5.45pm.
Grant Williams who trains for the state’s leading owner/breeders Peter’s investments and engages top hoop William Pike for many of his runners could be the one punters should be following tomorrow.
The trio have three horses engaged and each of them is a serious winning chance with Regal Commander in race three, Special Delivery Race four and Miss Encounter in the last race of the day all featuring as my top tip in their respective races.
I like the top weight in both the first and second races. Orbit the Sun with Shaun McGruddy aboard looks hard to beat after going down by half a length to Off the Wood over 1000 metres at Ascot on January 28, when finishing on from seventh on the turn on debut.
Likewise, Prickly Feet for Parnham and Jason Brown must be considered a likely winner in the second.
It finished on well over 1000 metres at Ascot last time out for a two lengths third to Fire Born.
Capel father and son training combination Ross and Clint Price look to have a strong chance in race five with Return of Capital to be ridden by Paul Harvey.
The gelding has drawn well in barrier one and has previously been placed in five of ten starts.
Those with a nose for an omen may like to consider Classy Twister for trainer Neville Parnham to be ridden by his son Brad Parnham in this the Parnham Racing Stables Handicap.
I will stay with Indigo Sun to win race six for local trainer Simon Foster with apprentice jockey Jerry Noske in the saddle.
It was not suited by the on pace bias here last Friday when fifth to Achmed after running on from 13th on the turn, but the gelding should have benefited from the run.
The dangers appear to be last start winners The Ladies Choice and emergency Successful Spin should it gain a start.
I found race seven the most difficult of the day and eventually settled on the well drawn Amarna who is always about the place and could win what is a very open race.
Heart Show will no doubt be running on and Elyssa Grace could be a chance if she gets a start.
The David Harrison trained Polyrio is my choice in race eight.
It looked good when a stylish runner up to Agachar Cruz at Ascot over 1000 metres on January 28.
Others to consider are Fringed who was third in the Summer Sizzle here on Australia Day, Bangkok Express from the Simon Miller camp and Hop on Hop Off for Ross and Clint Price with William Pike to ride who was a little disappointing here last start but could atone.
Last Friday, Bunbury based mare Be So Ryski delivered a huge blow to the reputation of boom galloper Tick Tick Bloom in the $60,000 MGIB plate when leading from the front she fought on courageously to win the 1690 metre event convincingly.
It was a triumph for locals as Be So Ryski is trained by Robert Witten and was beautifully ridden by his daughter apprentice jockey Kate.
On a day suited to on pace runners Tick Tick Bloom lost no admirers and will most likely still start favorite for the Bunbury Cup over 2100 metres on March 12, after finishing on strongly to run third over the shorter distance of Friday’s race.
The Lou Luciani trained Ye Olde with Jason Whiting in the saddle ran a very creditable second.
Impressive winners at the Friday meeting who punters should be keeping an eye out for included Paris of Troy for Grant Williams and William Pike, Fathing Fast for Shane Quilty and Lucas Camilliri, Abbeybell Lane for Gino Poletti and Alan Kennedy and Military Might for Luciani and Whiting while other winners on the day were Achmed who dead heated with Quintessence, Zipabout and Senor Huracan.
Jockey Jason Whiting was the only multiple winner on the day with success on the Luciani trained Military Might and with Zipabout for Albany trainer Peter Western.
Another local galloper Cougar Nights from the Michael Lane stable was scratched from the MGIB plate, possibly to avoid a clash with Tick Tick Bloom and to start at Ascot on Saturday but unfortunately for connections managed just a third placing in that race.
Black Heart Bart who is on track for a tilt at the Bunbury Stakes on Mach 8, was a most impressive winner at Ascot’s Saturday meeting and provided it comes through the Pinjarra Classic later this month and further depending on weight allocation is likely to start favourite in what seems certain to be a star studded field.
